It’s More Than The Music

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir [affectionately known as “MoTab”] began in 1847, just 29 days after the Mormon pioneers entered the barren landscape of the Salt Lake City valley. Out of the most humble of circumstances that little choir would eventually grow into one of the most well-known musical organizations nationally, and internationally. In the 1980’s U.S. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed it “America’s Choir”, and during the 2002 Winter Olympics it was called “The World’s Choir”.

For the past 7 years I have been a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir “singing in the loft”. It has been an incredible honor, and also an incredible commitment. I’ve basically been running an endless ‘musical marathon’ since February 2007! And, God willing, I’ll get to stay in the race for several more years. I’m a small cog in the great wheel. When my time is up [20 years service total or turning age 60, whichever hits first] then I will pass the baton to a new shiny cog, and the wheels will continue to roll smoothly and marvelously onward as it has over 16 historic decades.

Music & The Spoken Word is the longest continuous network broadcast in the world. Over 80 years, and counting. Today I’m going to take you on a Behind The Scenes tour! This video tells the play-by-play story of how the Mormon Tabernacle Choir organization creates their weekly broadcast; aired LIVE in local networks, and also sent by tape-delay to over 2,000+ radio and TV networks throughout the world. Hear some fascinating history of the program through the years and watch how an incredible cast of talented individuals [the majority working as unpaid volunteers] create exactly “27 Minutes and 56 Seconds” of broadcasting perfection.

Every. Single. Sunday. Morning. [that’s 56 times a year]

It is an incredible honor to be a small piece of this amazing weekly program. I loved watching this video because I actually don’t see many of these pieces coming together. [Yep, I’m in the video. At 1:53 I’m the woman walking away from the camera in a red checked dress – don’t blink or you’ll miss me!]🙂

Besides getting to sing & sing & sing [and sing…] lots of incredible & diverse music – pretty much every day of my life [all volunteer – either via rehearsal or performing], for me the best part of being a member of the “MoTab” is getting to spend a [ridiculous] amount of time with some of the coolest and bravest people in the world. They’re not just my friends. They’ve become part my musical “forever family”.

It will always be the heart and soul of the people on screen and behind the scenes that make Music & The Spoken Word so meaningful, moving, and magical. – MoSop

Mo Map

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